It took half the game for the Prince George Spruce Kings to get rolling offensively.
But when they did they never looked back.
Brett Mennear and Parker Colley led the way for Prince George by scoring 5 out of the team’s 8 goals for an 8-0 victory on Friday over the lowly Coquitlam Express.
Jarod Hovde put the Spruce Kings up 1-0 after 20 minutes after burying a Kyle Johnson.
After a lacklustre beginning to the second period which saw the Express carry an 18-11 shot advantage, the Spruce Kings scored three unanswered goals with a pair coming off the stick of Mennear followed by a single from Kyle Johnson.
Coquitlam was outshot 17-5 in the last half of the second period.
The bleeding would not stop for the Express in the third as Prince George potted four more past goaltender Lawson Fenton who made 42 saves in defeat with several highlight reel glove saves.
Colley recorded both his markers late in the third followed by a dazzling hat-trick goal by Mennear and a single from Prince George captain Adam Burnett.
Former Prince George Cougars Tavin Grant made 27 saves for the shutout victory and says they played the game right way. “Our coach says it doesn’t matter what the score is at the end of the day, he just wants us to work hard because as a team we just know if we do what he tells us that the only ones that can stop us is us.”
Grant is filling in for inured starting goalie Stefan Wornig who isn’t expected back until after Christmas.
He says the additional work should give him an edge. “I like playing and I am the kind of goalie that I get on a roll and momentum is in my favour so I just want to roll with it.”
Friday’s game marked the BCHL debut for gritty Prince George forward Keegan Ward who was acquired from the Omaha Lancers of the USHL.
Cariboo Cougars forward Devin Sutton dressed as an affiliate player for the Spruce Kings.
Ben Poisson, Tanner Campbell, Stefan Wornig, and Trent Huitema all sat out due to sickness or injury.
Prince George welcomes the Salmon Arm Silverbacks on Saturday at 7pm from the RMCA.
BCHL Scoreboard
Victoria Grizzlies 1 Nanaimo Clippers 0
Wenatchee Wild 4 Vernon Vipers 1
Langley Rivermen 4 West Kelowna Warriors 2
Cowichan Valley Capitals 6 Powell River Kings 4
Trail Smoke Eaters 3 Chilliwack Chiefs 1
Salmon Arm Silverbacks 4 Merritt Centennials 3